Together We Can
by Cheesypickuplines
Summary: After Arizona is kidnapped and rescued, she and Callie try to rebuild their life together. **Mentions Rape: Rating may change in later chapters**


So I have read tons of Fanfiction, and I've even tried my hand at writing it (believe me, I have at least sixty incomplete stories on my flashdrive). Anyway, I really don't believe that I am very good at writing, but I finally decided to upload something just to see what other people thought. I really enjoy writing, but it's so hard for me to do. Please be honest in your reviews because I really want to improve. I hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Grey's Anatomy or any of the characters.

Callie held her breath as she followed the officer through the door, casting a critical eye over every aspect of the tiny house as she walked by. He led her past a crowd of more officers in the living room, on down the hallway to a room at the back of the home. She gasped at the repugnant odor coming from the bedroom, a strange mix of urine, blood, and sweat. Her heart threatened to beat out of her chest as the officer directed her toward a small closet. The stench in the air intensified as she stepped closer, and then she saw her.

Arizona was nothing but unruly, blonde curls hidden amongst a heap of trembling purple blanket. Callie sank slowly down to the floor, ignoring the officer as he dismissed himself to give them privacy. She could only focus on the tiny, waif-like whimpers escaping from under the fabric, and it took everything she had to hold herself together.

"Arizona?" she called quietly. "It's me, it's Callie. I'm here now. It's all over." Cautious blue eyes peeked out at her, and she couldn't help the small smile that played out on her lips. "Hey baby. You don't have to be afraid anymore. Let's get you out of here, alright?" She held out her hand, but Arizona shook her head, slipping her own hands out from under the blanket.

"Oh sweetheart," Callie gushed, tenderly taking in the once pale skin that was now a dark, unforgiving blue. "What did they do to you?"

"You can't fight back with two broken hands." Arizona's voice was so tiny and lifeless, Callie couldn't believe it belonged to the love of her life. Arizona was always so energetic and perky that it didn't seem possible for her to be so broken.

"Hey, hey," Callie cooed, noticing the tears welling in Arizona's eyes. "It's okay. You don't have to worry about fighting back anymore. No one else is going to hurt you. I won't let them."

"I'm scared, Callie," she whispered, "more scared than I've ever been in my entire life."

"Don't be. I'll protect you, alright? Right now let's just get you out of here and to the hospital. Can you stand?"

She nodded. "But, but Callie, I... I don't have any clothes." Arizona's head fell down in shame at the revelation hidden in her words, and Callie put a gentle hand on her knee, shushing her when she flinched violently.

"You can wear my jacket, it's long enough to cover you, and then I'll wrap the blanket around you, okay?"

Arizona gave another timid nod, and Callie sighed inwardly. Her girl was broken, barely a shell of her former self. Her once bright blue eyes had become dull and lifeless, and in that moment Callie felt it would be impossible to put the Peds doctor back together into the beautiful woman she was before, but that wasn't about to stop her.

Callie stood up, then bent over to slowly ease Arizona off of the ground by her armpits, assuring her of every move she planned to take. As she rose, her broken hands made it impossible to hold onto the blanket, and she whimpered as it slipped to the floor.

The blonde threw herself against Callie, tears flying feverishly down her cheeks now that her bloody and battered body had been exposed.

Callie choked back tears as she pressed soft kisses into Arizona's hair. Her wife's delicate body was covered in bruises, burns, and scars, both new and healed. The insides of her thighs were completely black, with small tinges of green and yellow around the edges. It was amazing that she could even stand. Deep purple bracelets wrapped around her wrists and ankles, and a collar of bruises encircled her neck. Cigarette burns and fist-sized bruises littered every inch of her skin. Another violet blemish danced across her nose, spilling onto her left cheek before swirling around a swollen eye that barely opened. Dried streams of crimson mixed with the pale and bruised skin, showing just how much she had suffered.

"Hey, calm down," Callie soothed, slipping quickly out her jacket while keeping a supportive arm around Arizona. "It's just me and you, just us." She wrapped the coat around her, making quick work of the buttons while trying to avoid the tender skin underneath. She picked up the blanket off the floor and draped it over Arizona's shoulders, then pulled the trembling woman into her arms.

"It's going to be alright, baby. Don't be afraid anymore." Watery blue eyes met brown and Callie smiled. "I love you so much."

"I want to go home, Cal," Arizona whispered, letting her eyes plead her case. "Please just take me home."

"I will, sweetheart, I promise. But first we've got to get you checked out, alright?"

Arizona's face faltered, and she nodded glumly. After spending most of the last two weeks locked in a tiny closet, all she wanted to do was go home and shower and sleep in her own bed, but Callie was right. He had done the unthinkable, hurt her in ways she never thought possible. Her eyes suddenly went wide, and she stopped breathing, fingernails digging unintentionally into the flesh of her wife's arms.

"Callie," she gasped, glancing at the woman's tender, compassionate face before her gaze darted rapidly around the room. "He... he... Callie, he..."

"Shh," the Latina soothed, pressing a finger to Arizona's dry lips. "You don't have to say anything. Not yet. We can worry about all of the details in a little while."

She nodded thankfully as she felt an arm wrap supportingly around her waist while another held the blanket securely around her.

"Let's get you out of here, okay?"

With her consent, Callie led them out of the bedroom and down the hall, keeping her pace slow as she supported most of Arizona's weight. The blonde stiffened and whimpered as they made their way across the living room, and she felt Callie's lips brush lightly against her ear, assuring her no one else would ever hurt her again. Once outside, a female officer opened the back door of a black police SUV, and Callie helped Arizona inside before climbing in herself, gently pulling the smaller woman down so that her head rested against her thighs.

"It's almost over, baby," Callie promised as the car took off down the road. "I'll take you home soon, and everything will go back to normal." A tender, tanned hand brushed through the blonde curls, and Callie felt tears sting her eyes. Their fight was no where near over. The love of her life had been ripped away from her, only to return lost and broken, bringing with her an emotional roller coaster neither of them were prepared for.


End file.
